Tag Archives: listen to God

Sunday Stillness – Why Go on a Mission Trip?

This Tuesday I will be heading to Europe to be with a team of missionaries to Poland. This will be my 5th trip with the same leaders, Grace and Gene Fox, of International Messengers.

I have to ask myself – why am I going? I haven’t gone every year. Sometimes I hear a voice that says: NO. But this year, I didn’t hear anything about “no” only a resounding “yes”. Why?

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15, NIV).

You know I really don’t know. Except to say that God seems to know when He wants me to go.

I certainly have developed a friendship and love for the people in Poland, especially the Polish pastor and his family. My hubby travelled with me for a holiday last year to meet them and see the country. I have pasted a few of our pictures below.

Beauty of Poland

One of my first mission trips

My first trip – Karpatcz, Poland.

So why do I go?

When you hear God’s call – you will know it.

When your heart can’t wait to go – you will know it.

No matter what weird circumstances happen, if God wants you to go and you obey, you will go.

I won’t be posting any contributors’ posts while I am away. I think that is too much and I won’t do them justice. Hopefully they will be back on August 7th.

Lord, You have called me to go. And I answered. Please watch over all our team and the Polish people. Help us to show them Christ in action. Prepare the way for us so the campers will be able to trust in Jesus. In Your Name. AMEN.

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Today is Sunday Stillness.

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I would appreciate if you would link only about God’s Word. If you have a linky party that’s okay if it is about the same thing. Please no sales or prizes. I want this to be friendly but I must ask you to abide by the rules. Others want to read God’s Word – and that is what I would like the links to be about. I must take down the links that don’t follow the rules. Thanks so much.

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How to Exercise your spirit with Prayer

by Kimberley Payne

What is Prayer

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6, NIV).

Prayer builds your spiritual strength. It can include praise, confession, thanksgiving or appeal. Prayer puts you in contact with God, Who has more power than you could ever imagine. When you pray, He hears you and fills you with the power to do things you never thought you could do.

What cardiovascular exercise and strength training do for building a strong body, prayer does to build spiritual strength. Your body requires exercise and food, and it needs these things regularly. You cannot just take care of it at the beginning of the week and forget about it. Your spiritual life is similar to your physical body in that way.

You cannot pray just once and a have healthy growing spiritual life.

What prayer is not

Prayer is not just for highly-spiritual people. God delights to have you come to Him with your requests. You do not have to be “good enough” to pray.

Like exercise, prayer is not a one-time thing. You can pray every day, anywhere and any time. It is important to spend time in private prayer each day – just you and God.

Prayer is not talking to others, reading or studying. It is not “doing” something. You need to let everything inside you get still. You may feel compelled to cram every moment with activities and external stimuli.

Still your mind and listen for God’s voice to emerge. (based on Psalm 46:10).

Prayer is not just about you talking to God, but God talking to you.

With prayer you can have a private audience with the Lord. An intimate dialogue goes on inside where there may not be an audible voice, but Spirit to spirit.

Benefits of prayer

Allows intimate dialogue with God.

Encourages you to face a new day.

Provides information and strategies.

Accomplishes the impossible.

Develops deeper relationship.

A pure motive delights God.

Prayer, when combined with quiet time, can decrease respiratory rate, heart rate, elevated blood pressure and muscle tension. During prayer, the body escapes from the stresses of everyday life and enters into a relaxed state.

This is an excerpt taken from Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual & physical health

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You that we can come to You as we are. You love us and want to hear from us. You are a good and gracious Father.

Kimberley Payne

Kimberley is a motivational speaker and author. Her writings relate raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Through her work, Kimberley hopes to inspire people to live lives that glorify God. You can visit her website at www.kimberleypayne.com

Sunday Stillness – What is God calling you to do?

We have to make an expression of the new life, to form the mind of Christ ~ Oswald Chambers.

AHA – Don’t get stuck in the pigpen.

That’s how Kyle Idleman puts it in his new book, AHA. Remember the prodigal son – he woke up to needing his father when he was stuck with the pigs – actually lower than the pigs. But he didn’t stay there. He got moving. It says:

Are you stuck in the pen – or are you going to make the move and listen to God?

If God is calling you – you need to answer the call.

The truth is we need to obey God even when we don’t feel like it ~ Kyle Idleman.

I am off to Poland for my 5th mission trip this summer. I love to watch God take control of my life. I love to watch Him work out things that I can’t deal with. I want to carry out His plan. Do I always “feel” like going. No – not really. But I know that it is right to go.

Each follower of Christ in the New Testament, regardless of his or her calling, was intended to take up the mantel of proclaiming the gospel to the end of the earth ~ David Platt.

Remember to say: “Here I am. Send me.”

International Messengers needs volunteers to go to Romania this summer. Please email me for further information if God is putting this on your heart. I will connect you.

You may not consider that you are stuck in a pigpen. But if you are not moving where God is calling you – that is exactly where you are – the pigpen. Our new lives are about obeying Christ.

You may not be called to “go” abroad, but you are definitely being called to “go” somewhere.

What is God calling you to do? Please don’t wait. Do it (whatever “it” is). And do it now.

Prayer:

Lord, I know that there is someone out there reading this whom you have called to move in a certain direction. Help them to hear from you directly so they will know for sure and will make the move to where you are calling them. If you are calling them to take a short-term mission trip make it abundantly clear to them so they will get up, say yes and go.

Today is Sunday Stillness.

I would appreciate if you would link only about God’s Word. If you have a linky party that’s okay if it is about the same thing. Please no sales or prizes. I want this to be friendly but I must ask you to abide by the rules. Others want to read God’s Word – and that is what I would like the links to be about. I must take down the links that don’t follow the rules. Thanks so much.

JOIN THE SUNDAY STILLNESS COMMUNITY – READ OTHER POSTS AND ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER.

Please check out all the places I link to during the week. Thanks to everyone who has joined Sunday Stillness. I do try to get to your posts every week but I admit sometimes I don’t have the time.

What Passage of Scripture Has God Put on Your Heart?

A number of years ago I attended a Spirit-Filled weekend retreat with 40 women. We went away to a monastery, with our speaker, Ruth Conard. I knew that God wanted to use this time to speak to me. I had been praying for this. And He answered me.

God spoke through Ruth’s talks, through friendships and through our quiet times.

But He also talked through a Scripture passage.

After one break time we returned to the conference area to find slips of paper upside down on each chair. As I chose a chair, I discovered this passage on my slip of paper, “Feed my lambs”, John 21:15.

I had just begun to journal and this Scripture spurred me on to start writing for Jesus. After this conference I started my first blog. I have continued to blog ever since.

In order to feed His lambs:

I needed to go deeper into His Word; I needed to read more and more; I needed to pray more.

I continue my early morning daily study patterns because Jesus has called me to FEED HIS LAMBS.

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Janis, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. A writer since 2003, Janis co-ordinates a group blog called Under the Cover of Prayer. She is also a contributor to a group blog called Family and Faith Matters.

Sunday Stillness – Faith – Matthew 17:20

From Beacon Falls Congregational

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20, NIV).

My faith is growing. As I step out in prayer with more frequency I have seen the Hand of God. God tells us that nothing will be impossible when we step out in faith.

I would appreciate if you would link only about God’s Word. If you have a linky party that’s okay if it is about the same thing. Please no sales or prizes. I want this to be friendly but I must ask you to abide by the rules. Others want to read God’s Word – and that is what I would like the links to be about. I must take down the links that don’t follow the rules. Thanks so much.

JOIN THE SUNDAY STILLNESS COMMUNITY – READ OTHER POSTS AND ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER.

Please check out all the places I link to during the week. Thanks to everyone who has joined Sunday Stillness. I do try to get to your posts every week but I admit sometimes I don’t have the time.

As I was doing some writing on my computer, I wondered about meeting anyone in the deserted campground we were in that evening, and then I heard a knock on the door. It was the camp hostess with a coupon for an extra night stay, so I invited her in for a visit.

Soon I was explaining a book I’m writing on “Listening”, listening to the still, small voice of God speak to our minds and hearts. Right away she was interested to read some of the entries I’ve made over the years as I’ve heard God speak to me when I prayed and then listened.

We had a wonderful conversation sharing our stories of life and walking with God. After about twenty minutes of an engaging connection, she left with an inspiration to draw closer to God and for her also to listen to the voice of God speak in her own life. Again I discovered God will bring the people he wants into our lives, and that God can use us to touch, hear and talk to others.

Here is an entry I made one morning some time ago as I listened to God in the hush and quiet of the dawn:

Yes, my child, I love to give to you.
I love all my children everywhere,
and so many perceive lack and need.

If only all could see the abundance and wealth all around them.
Please live so others can see my love and compassion,
my offers of help.
I realize this doesn’t come easy for you.
I want you to know I fully understand your feelings,
emotions and thoughts of limitation.

I left the glories of heaven
to be born as a baby in Bethlehem
to experience humanity’s frailty,
to be obedient to my Father
and to rise above it all –
overcoming every situation, even death
so you can do the same.

Love richly and deeply
and give to my world.

Rose Spillenaar Harmer

Rose was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, and speaks on subjects related to marriage, family and mental health. Her travels take her throughout North America and she winters in Cape Coral, Florida. Her published words include a short biography in Clayton’s Kids (2009) and a column entitled “Listening” which will be part of a forth-coming book. Contact Rose.

How Do I pray – Part 2

Last month our guest speaker, Jessica, spoke in How to Pray – Part 1 repetitive babbling and unnecessary prayer language. This is a continuation of a four part series. Many thanks to Jessica for allowing me to repost.

This week we’re going to continue to talk about vain prayers. Why talk about how not to pray? Well, Jesus did, so he must have thought it an important subject to study. And I’ve come to believe that many many people’s prayer lives consist in large part of prayers that, if I’m being totally honest, affect no change in their life, or anyone else’s. I don’t know about you, but I want to come to a place where I can feel the presence of God and the power of the Holy Spirit in my communication to God, and His communication to me.

First, let’s look at the word vain.

vain

1. excessively proud of or concerned about one’s own appearance; conceited.

As I’ve already said, I believe many of our prayers are in vain. Meaning, they are ineffectual and unsuccessful. They are without real significance; they’re basically worthless.

I know that’s a bold claim to make, and I know that God loves everyone regardless of if I think they’re praying “wrong”, but that’s no excuse for keeping on in our ignorance. Shouldn’t we want to seek an intimate and powerful relationship with God through our prayer? And to get to that place, we have to weed out the ineffectual prayers. I’m going to talk about 1 kind today.

1. Asking God to do what He’s already doing.

How often have you prayed for God to “be with” a person who was in need? Have you ever considered that is sort of a silly request? Literally the very last thing that Jesus said to his disciples was that surely he would be with us until the very end.

“I sometimes hear a mature Christian say very earnestly, “Dear Lord, please be with me as I go on this new job interview,” or “Please be with me as I go on this trip.” When you first hear it, this request sounds holy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make any sense. I’m often tempted to ask the one praying, “Why do you ask God to do what he is already doing?’

We don’t need to ask God to be with us if we are members of his family. Instead, we need to pray that we will be aware of his presence, that we will be confident because of it. Asking God to be with us when he is already there is one kind of ”babbling”.

The next time you’re in a gathering of believers, notice how much of their prayers consist primarily of asking God to “be with” people. So, what should we do instead?

Say you get a feeling about Mr. So-and-so. For whatever reason, you were sitting around and something pinged your Holy Spirit radar. You know Mr. So-and-so has been depressed lately, but you’ve been busy doing all your life’s stuff and honestly you just forgot because you only see him for a few hours one day a week anyhow. So what do you do? You pray about him, of course. You say something like, “Lord, please be with Mr. So-and-so. He’s having a hard time right now, please just let him know that you love him. Amen.”

Or, if you’re really moved, you’ll “bring it before the church”—aka: mention it—and get everyone to pray for Mr. So-and-so. They’ll all pray about the same thing that you did probably.

But if you keep in mind that God already knows everything (so you don’t need to “tell” him when someone’s in trouble because he already knows what we need) and he’s already “with” us, you begin to see where we may have messed up.

If God has actually indwelled you with his Holy Spirit, then whenever something is “pinging” your Holy Spirit radar, it’s God. That’s Him. Trying to tell you something. But if you get confused and forget who God is, then you’re bound to misunderstand him when he talks to you, in fact you won’t even hear him at all past that first ping, because you’re too busy talking. Because you’ve decided already that you know exactly what to do: pray!

Let’s look at that prayer (talking and listening to God) from both sides of the Holy Spirit walkie talkie.

“Lord.”

“Yes?”

“Please be with Mr. So-and-so.”

“I already am.”

“He’s having a hard time right now.”

“I know, that’s why I just reminded you of that.”

“Please just let him know that you love him.”

“I’m trying to do that right now, by giving you the chance to go over there and tell him that. Or just call him or something. Really, interact with him in any way at all.”

“Amen.”

“Sigh…”

We’re not understanding what’s happening. We’re letting our religion get in the way of our relationships. Between us and God. Between us and us. Just imagine how close-knit a church would be if they responded properly every time God spoke? If we immediately reached out to the Mr. So-and-so’s and helped them through their hard times?

Imagine if you showed up at someone’s door right in the middle of their deepest depression and said, “God told me to come here and help you. He cares about you and he wants you to know that.” That would freak some people out! That might start a real church.

God isn’t sitting “up there” on his throne saying, “I would love to help Mr. So-and-so, but the other people haven’t asked me to yet..”

Surely you’ve heard the concept that as followers of Christ we’re all parts of His Body. No really, it’s true. It is our job to do his work here on earth. He gave us the authority and the glory to do that work, and even left us with the Holy Spirit to always ping us in the right direction.

So, Church – instead of praying ineffectual prayers, maybe we should go be the body. Makes sense to me.

God – Are You There?

Do you find sometimes that you pray and pray and pray about something and nothing seems to happen?

I have found that usually that happens because God has another plan. He has either a totally different plan or my timing is wrong and I must wait.

Going ahead of God, I have found is NOT a good idea.

I remember Abraham’s story. I see him trying to make God’s promise of a great nation come true. He got tired of waiting – he thought he was getting too old. So he birthed Ishmael through Hagar, Sarah’s servant, because he listened to his wife who said:

“Go, sleep with my maidservant, perhaps I can build a family through her” (Genesis 16:2 NIV).

Sometimes I think and act before I pray – another NOT so good idea.

“We can ever remain powerless, as were the disciples, by trying to do God’s work not in concentration on His power, but by ideas drawn from our own temperament. We slander God by our very eagerness to work for Him without knowing Him.”1

Jesus tells His disciples, after they could not drive out an evil spirit:

If I am faced with a wall – where nothing seems to be working – I need to stop fretting and pray. And pray some more.

“This is your line of service – to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it in irritation, or by mounting up, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ.”2

That certainly shows me the power of prayer.

From the beginning of time our wills fight for supremacy instead of God.

Let us pray.

Prayer:

Father we know and acknowledge that You alone have the power to change lives. We need to be here – in Your Presence to get right with You.

Help us to clear a path to You – to get rid of any bramble or brush in our spirits that block that path.

Help us be face to face with You, Jesus. We know You are the Way, the Truth and the Life.

We lay down before You – offer ourselves and open our hearts and minds to listen to Your words. In Your name, Jesus, we pray.

Ann’s words: “Anything less than gratitude and trust is practical atheism.”

Haliburton’s colours – fall’s beauty

Giving thanks is a verb – do thanks by serving (Ann Voskamp)

Amazing conference – thanks Kelita and all the women who put this together

A great sister connection – thanks Kathy

Jan Cox

Jan, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published two devotionals and a number of articles for magazines and a Bible study. She is owner of Under the Cover of Prayer and moderates the site. She also writes at A Better Way. Jan has written a children’s book in which she is also the watercolour illustrator. She hopes to publish it this year.